Torpedo



Feb; 24. 1925.- Y 1,527,782

E, s. R, BRANDT ET AL TORPEDO Filed June- 21, 3,922 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

n fitto: nu;

Feb. 24, 1925.

ToRPEDo Filed June y21, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 gwuentofcfb ll inafter described may Patented Feb. 245.-, i925.

JNTE@ TTES EDMUND S. R. BRANDT, OF THE UNITED OF NEPORT, RHODE ISLAND, ASSI STATES.

STATES NAVY, AND WILLIAM H. BEYANS,

Givens To eovnanivrnm'." or ltenia 'unlrjsp TORPEDO.

Application led June 21,

ToaZZ who-m it may concern.

. Be it known that we, EDMUND S. R.

BRANDT, lieutenant commander, y United States Navy, and WILLIAM H. BnvANs, both 5 citizens of the United States, residing at Newport, Rhode Island, have invented new and useful Improvements -in Torpedoes, of

which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to improvements in torpedoes and more particularly to improve- ,ments inthe practice head of a torpedo for use while testing prior to its being .put in service although it is of course to be understood that, if desired, the mechanism herebe applied to the war head.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved head for torpedoes adapted to deflect the torpedo away from the bottom or to cause the torpedo7 which is running at a dangerous depth, to come to the surface.

A further object is to provide aA simple and practical mechanism of the above general character which will be reliable and efficient in use and operation in causing a torpedo on its test runs to co-me to the surface, if for any reason it tends to sink below a predetermined depth.

A further object is to provide a mechanism of the above character adapted to eliminate as much as possible the danger of losing torpedoes by sinking during test runs.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out in connection with the accompanying sheets of drawings wherein is shown various possible modifications of the present invention in which,

Figure 1 is a sectional elevational view through the forward part of a practice head of a torpedo showing such parts of the present invention as are necessary to fully understand the same.

Figure 2 is a similar vie modification.

Figures 3 and l are detailed sectional views showing certain parts in normal and actuated positions.

Figures 5 and 6 are views at right angles showing a further modification electrically operated.

Figures 7 and 8 are detail views.

The practice head is designed or set tooperate at a predetermined depth by reason w showing a 1922. Serial No. 570,028.

of the hydrostatic` pressure `acting upon cert-ain parts to release a bow rudderandcause the torpedo to be deflectedupwardlytowards the surface.

Itsometimes happens thatv in practiceruns the steering mechanism or other, vital Yparts of the torpedo fail fto` function properly causing the torpedo to,dive Vdownwardly to the bottom ofthecourse. If the torpedo sticks in the mud, as sometimes happens, it is almost impossible to locate it.

Various deviceshave been tried from time to time to change the buoyancy ,of the' torpedo such, for example, as thereleasing fof a weight carried by the practice-headx'after the torpedo has taken a downward course but such an expedient has in practice been found insuliicient in itself to kbring to the surface a torpedo which had started to dive towards the bottom, the momentum of 'the dive being sufficient to overcome any practicable increase of buoyancy. i

Referring now to the drawings,V in detail and more particularly to Figure 1, 5 denotes the shell of the practice head of a' torpedo which, during test runs isk substitutedfor the usual war head carrying the explosive in actual service.

In the form shown in Figure 1 there is shown a hydrostatically operated member 6 subjected to water pressure through opening 7 in a door 8 which closes the bottom of a casing 10 filled with shot or the like 11, which door is released by means of triggers 12 normally engaging a angeli, w

hen a retaining lug 14 of a hydrostatic member v6 is forced upwardly. This hydrostat, of course, is set to operate at a predetermined hydrostatic pressure, such, for example, as the pressure of water at 50 or 60 feet depth. 95 When the triggers 12 are released and the door 8 collapses a retaining pin 15 engaging the under side of a spring actuated plunger 16 is also released and this plunger is forced downwardly by means of spring 17 nor- 100 mally under compression. The downward movement of the Tal-neer 16 carries with it the releasing rod 18 which normally holds a locking ball 20 inthe position shown in Figure 1 thus holding a bow rudder 21 in 105 down position as shown in full lines. When the rod 18 moves downwardly the ball 2O moves relatively towards the right to release this bow rudder which, by reason of the cut away po-rtion 22 is forced upwardly 110 by the water to the dotted line position. rIhis bow rudder is connected by means of links 23 and 24-which operate in the manner of a toggle against the action of a shock absorber spring 25 as shown more clearly in Figures 3 and 4. This action results in the torpedo receiving an up rudder which causes it to rise to the surface.

In Figure 2 there is shown a slightly dierent modifica-tion which is operated by fluid means, preferably air under pressure. In this form, if the torpedo which is under way goes below a predetermined set depth, a starting mechanism or valve in the hea-d is operated hydrostatically to release air in the'head and a branch air line 30 communicating with this hydrostatically.controlled air supply carries the air to the under side of a piston 3l to force a release rod 32 upwardly against the action of spring 33 until a recess 34 comes opposite to a. locking ball 35 which normally holds the bowrudder 2l in closed position. The plunger 3l really constitutes a valve adapted to close against Valve seat 36 forcing any water that may be in the valve body'out through a. relief port 37 The bow rudder is provided with the same linkage and shock absorbing means as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

The hydrostatic means may be of any desired type adapted to operate on excess of a pre-determined depth. Any desired means may be pro-vided for returningthe rudder to the housed condition when broaching on the surface. The extent to which'the bow rudder opens may also be regulated by variation of the length of the linkage shown in Figures 3 and 4 or otherwise. Also timing mechanism could be combined with release mechanism whereby the torpedo would be caused to rise at a predetermined distance. This, of course, would enter more into the war head construction or could be operated by an acoustical, magnetic or other external sources of energy as shown for example in Figures and 6 showing a rudder released by means of an electric current. An electric current is sent through coil 38 which magnetically draws cover 39 to a closed position. This operation unhooks the member 40 from arm 4l allowing it under tension of spring 42'to be pushed out of slot 43 in shaft 44. Then a spring 45 tends to push a collar 46 in the direction'shown by arrow. The motion of shaft 44 is transferred by means of a crank 47 to a shaft 48 thereby unlocking a catch 49 from a recess in the rear part 5() of the rudder thereby allowing rud-der 51 to be forced upward by the Vpressure of water.

It willthus be seen thatl the present invention provides a simple and practical mechanism particularly adapted to be associated with the practice headV of a torpedo to cause the same to rise at any predetermined depth.

Y Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting certain features that, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention1 and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended wit-hin the meaning and range of equivalency ofthe following claims.

That we claim is l. In a torpedo, in combination with a practice head, a bow rudder associated therewith, means for holding said bow rudder in closed position, means for releasing said holding means comprising ahydrostatically actuated member and a weight adapted to be released simultaneously with the action of the release of said bow rudder.

2. In a torpe-do, in combination with a practice head, a weight within said practice head, hydrostatic means adapted to release said weight, a bow rudder and means actuated by the release of said weight for releasing the bow rudder.

3. In a torpedo, in combination, a casing adapted to contain a weight, a door normally closing said casing and retaining the weight in place, hydrostatic means for releasing the door to permit the release. of the weight, means holding said bow rudder in closed position and means for releasing the bow rudder simultaneously with the release of said weight. Y

4. In a torpedo, in combination, a casing adapted to contain a weight, a door normally closing said casing andl retaining the weight in space, hydrostatic means for releasing the door to permit the release of the weight, a bow rudder, means holding` said bow rudder in closed position, and released simultaneously with the release of said weight and shock absorbing means for retarding the upward movement of the bow rudder.

Signed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 15th day of May, 1922.

EDIIUND S; R. BRANDT.

30th day of sor 

